


There Are No True Knights

by FiveFootAngel



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Crossover, F/M, Gen, blows both timelines and worlds to pieces
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-04-15
Updated: 2013-09-28
Packaged: 2017-12-08 14:52:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/762636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FiveFootAngel/pseuds/FiveFootAngel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“You think that there are true knights?” Queen Sansa asked him, looking amused “I might have met one or two in my lifetime."</p><p>Wherein I write another "Sansa escapes the Lannisters" crossover fic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. An Arrival

**Author's Note:**

> I am completely blowing up both timelines, particularly ASoIaF. 
> 
> After the war has been settled in Westeros, Joffrey comes out to visit Camelot, because his father was friends with Uther. This happens in the year between seasons 3 and 4 but I'm not including Agrivane, because I don't like him, and was too lazy to try and include the evil plotting and stuff.

The blonde boy king enters the throne room, a red haired beauty floating lightly on one arm as he strides up to greet Arthur. Her stomach forms a slight swell under her summer gown, for all that she is clearly younger than his own nineteen years.

“My Queen.” King Joffrey introduces her  “Sansa, previously of House Stark, and heir to The Northern Kingdom.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you, your Grace.” Arthur greets her graciously, kissing her knuckles

“And for I to meet you, Prince Arthur.” she tells him, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. She flinches suddenly as the king twists their hands in a rough way, but keeps up her smiling facade.

Joffrey loudly and rudely made it known that he wished to be shown to his chambers, and Sansa trailed after.

****

* * *

 

Merlin led the pretty young queen and her serving maid down the hall to her rooms “I hope you like your rooms, Queen Sansa. I’ve seen to their furnishings myself, but please don’t hesitate to ask for anything you might need.”

“Of course, Merlin.” she said quietly

The slender knight clad all in white continued to follow the party in silence.

“So...does he always follow you around?” Merlin asked “I mean, what does your husband think?”

Sansa smiled “Ser Loras is my dearest friend. But he follows me because he is a knight of the Kingsguard. They are a sworn brotherhood who dedicate their lives to shielding the king and his family, so at least one of them will be with me always.”

“Arthur should have something of the sort.” Merlin reflected ruefully “He’s always getting into trouble.”

Sansa laughed lightly. “It can be annoying to some. I know Princess Myrcella loves her Ser Arys, but it grates on her that he can never leave her alone.”

Merlin nodded “These are your chambers, your grace.”

He threw open a door to reveal the large bedroom, furnished with every convenience that could be needed.

“It adjourns into a sitting room that you and your husband share, to the left. There is a sleeping cell on the other side for anyone who must attend you. A cot can be brought up for Ser Loras if you wish it.”

“Aye, that would be welcome Merlin. Thank-you for your consideration.”

Merlin left the instructions with one of the manservants who would be serving Queen Sansa, and went back to Gaius’ chambers.

"Queen Sansa is beautiful and gracious. She’s even kind to servants, thanking them and acknowledging them. Unlike some princes I could name.”

“Oh really?” Gaius murmured

“Aye. I half wish she would take me back to Kingslanding to serve her. It would be more enjoyable than constantly polishing Arthur’s armor, shining his shoes, cleaning his room, and never getting thanked.”

“It is truly remarkable that after being through so much, Queen Sansa is still as kind as she is.”

“Being through so much?”

“Her parents and all of her siblings are dead, Merlin. And at the hand of her husband’s men and his allies.”

“What? Why does she stay with him?”

“Because she has no choice, and a shrewd hold on her tongue, I imagine.” Gaius told him “And he keeps her because she is the only true heir to the North.”

Merlin felt rather sick and lost at this news.

“It is well that you are kind to her Merlin. She has lost quite a lot for one so young.”

Merlin nodded. “Has Joffrey always been as rude and annoying?”

“Merlin!” Gaius scolds him “You must learn to mind your tongue, if not your courtesies.”

“Sorry Gaius. But was he?”

Gaius sighed “He never had a close relationship with his father, and though Robert was hardly an example of kingly behavior, he had a good heart. He and Arthur were never close the way that he often was with young visiting noblemen. However, I have no actual proof as to Joffrey’s behavior, and therefore I cannot make any fair conclusions.”

“Yeah...I get it Gaius...it’s just that Queen Sansa looks so sad around him, and she was so gracious and kind when I was talking with her.”

****

* * *

 

Arthur meets up with Sansa again in the forest. She is walking alone, but for her silent brown haired shadow, clad all in white. Ser Loras he’s called, the youngest of the Kingsguard. The pretty pair bypass all of the beautiful streams and groves to make their way directly to the circle of old white trees. In the center stands the Heart Tree, with it’s solemn sleepy face.

“Queen Sansa?” he called out as he approached her “It isn’t safe to travel through the forest if you don’t know it, even with so brave a knight.”

She jumped a little, her hand going to her stomach as she turned back, but she relaxed when she saw it was him.

“Surely you have heard of the heathen Northmen who keep the old gods?”

He smiled a bit “Aye I have. So that’s where you pray. I’d often wondered about these trees, the faces are...”

“Unsettling, I would guess. My mother never liked them either." She half laughed, then was quiet for a moment

"There are no ceremonies or rituals. It is just a place for your own quiet thoughts.”

“Sounds peaceful.”

Sansa nodded “I will return soon Your Grace. I promise that I do not want to see these woods at night. Ser Loras doesn’t either, though he will never admit to fear.”

He smiled lightly “What is fear, my queen?” he mocked her gently

“I pray you never find out, my Knight of Flowers.”

“No true knight will let his fear show. Especially when there are fair ladies to defend.” Arthur agreed

“You think that there are true knights?” she asked him, looking amused “I might have met one or two in my lifetime. Even Loras, isn’t above a little trickery now and then, a little given to passions.”

“You wound me my queen. Surely you know, that when Renly tapped my shoulder with his sword he vaulted me above mere mortals.”

“You were born thinking yourself above mere mortals, dear heart.”

Arthur wanted to respond but couldn’t find the words. No one had ever publicly doubted the quality of his knights before, at least not without having their own knights to make a competition of it. Sansa must have seen his puzzlement because the said “Meaning no offense Your Grace.” and turned back to her tree gods.

At dinner that night she sat next to King Joffrey and smiled her strained smile.

****

* * *

 

After that, Arthur couldn’t seem to help but to seek out her company in his spare time. He made a point of introducing her to his knights.

“Ah, Queen Sansa. I saw your face at dinner last night on the other side of the beef. And never has beef looked so plain in comparison to anything.”

Sansa fought an amused smile as she endured Gwaine’s clumsy compliments.

Lancelot gave Gwaine a stern look “Forgive my brother. He thinks much of himself and it leads to foolish remarks.”

“I think that it is only in foolish unguarded remarks that we reveal what lies in our hearts.” Sansa said gently

Gwaine swelled up proudly for a second, before realizing that she hadn’t truly complimented him, and hadn’t truly not complimented him either.

“How have you enjoyed Camelot so far, my Queen?” Ser Leon asked her

“It’s beautiful.” Sansa smiled “Kingslanding is always so hot and crowded, even in the best of times. You cannot hardly move when you go down to the main city.”

“If you would like to see more of the city, my sister Gwen can give you a tour tomorrow, your Grace.” Elyan offered

Sansa smiled gently “I would love that Ser.”

“Do you believe in true knights now that you have met my fine men?” Arthur asked her as he escorted her back to her room, a different knight, this one less fair, trailing behind the tall, red headed woman.

“It is not knighthood that makes men good.” Sansa said, shaking her head.

“On that we agree, Queen Sansa.”

“But any knight can make any man another knight. A man should not be trusted just because he has said some words and been tapped with a sword.”

Arthur shook his head  “But no true knight would knight a man who has not earned it.”

“And yet men cannot know everything about other men. You might think a man has earned his knighthood while others disagree. And who can say who they would prove right?”

“I trust my men with my life. They are brave and true.”

“I am glad for you then. I just hope that you never regret it.”

She opened her door and slipped mostly inside “Goodnight, Prince Arthur.” and she entered her room

He pounded the wall lightly in frustration and and left her alone. It was too much to think about what was going on inside the kingdom and also what was happening abroad, between all their rivals and allies. He should find an advisor to help him until his father had recovered.

 

* * *

 

Gwen didn’t often feel small and plain now, not after serving in the castle for so long and growing accustomed to all of the finery that so often swirled about it, however Queen Sansa was a different matter entirely. The Queen had long hair that shone red in the sun as they strolled down the street, and her blue gown was flowing and tastefully embroidered. She was also one of the tallest women that Gwen had ever seen, standing equal to Arthur and nearly as tall as her husband.

“I love the fine things that you find further south, like this kingdom, and Kingslanding, but I miss the North as well. So I have my moments of quiet rebellion. Leaving my hair down instead of styling it like the queen. Wearing my boots instead of slippers. Humming Northern songs under my breath as we ride down the streets. Little things like that.”

Gwen smiled “Well I hope you see your home soon. It sounds beautiful.”

“I never let myself want it.” Sansa reflected “When I was a girl, it was to be Robb’s kingdom. I think that we all would have wanted it though, if we had let ourselves.”

She glances behind her to the pretty knight trailing after them “Ser Loras doesn’t understand me. He loves his southern gardens and beaches. He thinks I’m mad, to long for my frozen wasteland.”

“Just so.” he agreed “Yet I will follow you there, when you have leave to go.”

“I know you will, old friend.”

Gwen glanced from one to the other. Though their voices were openly affectionate, there was no hint of romance in their eyes.

“What is your home like, Ser Loras?”

“The Reach?” a few strides pass before Loras starts to talk “It is much as my queen said. Gardens and beaches. A place for knights and ladies, singers under every roof. There is Old Town too, a city of learning, and there are many seaports. A veritable paradise. I feel that after people visit, they will never want to leave.”

“I should love to see both your lands. Perhaps someday Arthur will travel there and...” she trailed off, chiding herself for her own stupidity.

“I think the prince would love both lands.” Sansa nodded “Though I’ve never seen Loras’ lands myself. We plan to travel more, after I’ve given the king an heir.”

“And you seem on your way.” Guinevere nodded towards the queen’s stomach “Do you know what you’re going to name it?”

“Rickard after my grandfather, or Lyanna, after my aunt.” she smiled lightly, letting her hand rest on the still small bump under her light summer dress.

“I told her that Loras was a wonderful name for a boy, but she rejected me off hand.” Loras drawled out slowly and lazily

Gwen smiled “My own brother thinks that I should name all of my children Ser Elyan.”

Sansa smiled, back at her, a hint of sadness playing around her mouth.

A child came up shyly and tugged at her skirt. Sansa crouched down to talk to her “Hello dear one. What’s your name?”

“Lisbet.” the girl lisped, her big brown eyes focused on the pretty queen “These are for you.”

She shoved a bouquet of wildflowers and weeds pulled roughly from the ground at Sansa.

“Oh these are beautiful, Lisbet. No Queen could ask for better flowers.” she told the girl as she accepted the flowers,  pressing a kiss to her little grubby cheek.

“Are you really a Queen?”

“Yes I am.  I come from the Northern Kingdom.”

“Princesses come here sometimes to try and marry the prince, but he sends them all away.”

“Is that so?” Sansa half laughed, glancing up at Gwen for the smallest of seconds

“I hope he keeps you though.” she said daringly, then darted away.

Sansa stood back up and laughed, enchanted “I half wish he did as well, this is a gorgeous kingdom.”

Gwen flushed, trying to calm herself. Sansa only said that she loved the kingdom, not the prince. Yet Arthur had shown more interest in her than he usually did in visiting nobility whom he couldn’t engage in sword play, and certainly it was bordering on improper for a married woman.

“Are you well, Gwen?”

Gwen nodded, swallowing hard “Quite well, your Grace.”

Sansa nodded “Alright then. Come, tell me more of your kingdom. Ser Leon said that you two were friends as children. Tell me of your escapades, and I will tell you of mine own.”

 

* * *

 

“If my brothers had not been traitors I would not be the heir to Winterfell.” She said stiffly “I had three true born brothers and a little sister. And a bastard brother too. I loved them all dearly when they were true, but my brothers rebelled and my sister has been missing for close to two years now.

“Sansa…” Arthur was lost for words. Her words were said so coldly, but her eyes were too dead and sad for any real malice to be behind them.

“I am sorry for your loss.” He said finally

“My brothers were traitors. My father and mother as well. To mourn a traitor is to become one. I love my beloved King Joffrey.” Her voice was dead as her eyes and suddenly Arthur understood how very scared she was.

He sighed and took her hand in his own “Tell me their names.”

“Robb was the oldest.” She said softly “Then Jon, he was only a few months younger. Then me, and Arya, and Bran and Rickon.”

“Quite a lot of you.” Arthur commented “How on earth did your parents keep you all in order? I know my father had quite a lot of trouble with Morgana and myself when we were young, and there were only two of us.”

“We had a nurse, Old Nan. She had stories to keep us occupied. Tales of knights and ladies fair, and good scary ones that would keep you up all night long.”

“So you did believe in true knights once.”

“Once.” Sansa agreed “Once I thought that my life would be just like a lady in a song.”

“Were you a horrible child then?” Arthur asked her, grinning lightly “Always with your heads up in the clouds, never listening to sense?”

“I was disgustingly well behaved.” Sansa laughed “My sister spent half her life hating me for how proper I was, and how everyone complimented me.”

“You seem as if you’re still horrifyingly proper.” Arthur pointed out.

“That’s probably true.” Sansa nodded

“We’ll have to find your sister, so we can ask her if you’re still so annoying.”

Sansa’s face twisted in distress.

“My sister’s dead. The queen would have found her by now if she was still living.”

“How can you know that? Kingslanding is surrounded by large kingdoms. Much larger than Camelot.”

Sansa shook her head “Joffrey had most of his father’s bastards killed. And the queen is more competent. No, my sister’s dead.”

 

* * *

****

He saw her in the gardens with Lancelot that day, her ever faithful Ser Loras walking behind them.

She touched his hand gently and led him beneath an oak tree.

Loras very carefully studied the horizon, then caught sight of Arthur.

He said a quick aside to the queen and then approached him quickly.

“The king is a jealous man. To let him know of this encounter would invite unnecessary trouble.”

“I trust Lancelot. He is the most noble man I know. There is no reason the king would have to fear, and therefore no reason to tell him.”

Loras nodded “I know my duty as well, Ser. And I like to think that I know men. So I know that you will not.”


	2. The Traitor

“King Joffrey got a delivery this morning.” Merlin reported as he started picking up Arthur’s room and collecting the breakfast tray.

Arthur paused in his examination of the letter “Someone sent him presents?”

“No, it was something that he ordered.”

“Ahh.” Arthur returned to his reading, then stopped and looked up at Merlin “Do you want to tell me what it is?”

“You’re not going to like it.” Merlin warned, his voice rueful.

He pulled the covers up on the bed and as he straightened the pillows told him “A man. Probably younger than us. His eyes were put out.”

Arthur blinked a few times “You know what a serious accusation that is?”

“There’s nothing that he can actually be accused of, for sure.” Merlin said miserably “A blind man being brought to his rooms is no guarantee that he’s actually done anything, though we all know that it’s more than likely on his orders.”

Arthur nodded. “Well then, we need to gain some confidence, be allowed to get close to the king so that we see can figure out what’s happening.”

Merlin groaned.

“What Merlin? It was you who brought this topic to my attention.”

“Yes...but that means we have to endure being around King Joffrey.”

****

* * *

 

It hadn’t been very hard to gain the king’s confidence. Taking him hunting, yelling at Merlin in front of him, letting him yell at Merlin.

Arthur faced away from the King, talking in a low voice with Lancelot.

“I remember King Robert. He was an old drunken lecher, but he wasn’t a cruel man. It’s sad to see how his son has turned out.”

Lancelot nodded “I fear for the queen. She says he will not hurt her while she bears his child, but she still fears him.”

Joffrey laughed out loud as Ser Leon let an arrow fly from his crossbow and hit the doe they were pursuing, deep in the vitals.

“Prince Arthur, I thought that you might want to attend a ceremony we are holding to celebrate the end of a rebellion in my home. All of my dearest of friends will be in attendance and I’m sure that places can be found for you and your knights.”

“Thank you for the honor, your Grace. We would be glad to attend.”

The other knights made haste to agree. Arthur had impressed upon them the need to get in good with King Joffrey.

****

* * *

 

The lavish sitting room that was afforded to Joffrey and his party had been presented to it’s best advantage. He sat, resplendent in his red satin, at the high seat. Sansa was sitting on a low seat near his feet, her eyes a million miles away. The Queen Mother stood behind the seat, her hands folded gracefully on it’s back.

“My Queen.”

She rose slowly from her position and stood before the throne. She knelt gracefully before him.

“Rise Queen Sansa, and tell me, do you know what day it is?”

“It is Fifthday, is it not, your Grace?” She asked him innocently

“Don’t be so stupid.” he sneered “A year ago your traitor brother was defeated on the Trident.”

“Oh yes of course, his bannermen betrayed him and murdered him at our uncle’s wedding. What a thrilling victory for you.”

The boy glanced over at the white cloaked knight standing beside him and nodded.

The knight stepped forward and used his gauntleted hand to slap Sansa across the face. She screamed aloud as the metal raked her flesh.

Gwaine grasped his sword and Lancelot started to move forward, but Percival and Leon held them back.

Arthur glanced around at the rest of the court and was almost not surprised to see their resigned expressions of pity, as if fear overruled any other emotions.

“We have another traitor with us today.” he informed the court “A man who supported my uncle Stannis’ false claim.”

A bound man was dragged through the gathered crowd, a bag over his head. He was forced down to his knees and the bag was pulled off to reveal a thin dark haired man, scars where his eyes should be. It didn’t stop Sansa from recognizing him though.

“Jon!” her face was pale and her eyes wide “Jon!”

“Sansa?” he croaked out, wildly twisting his head around as if he expected to see her if he just moved his head to the right spot.

She ran to him and got down on her knees, clutching his face with her hands. She kissed his forehead, his cheek, the top of his head, the scars where his eyes had been.

“Oh Jon...” she stroked a hand down the side of his face gently

“Gods, Sansa...I wanted to come to you...”

“Shhh...” she soothed him, through half choked back tears, smoothing back his dark hair.

“Queen Sansa.” Joffrey interrupted her reunion “There is only one punishment for a traitor.

“Your Grace, I beg you for my brother’s life. Please, there must be a punishment for a traitor I know, but let me bear it. You have taken enough from him.”

Lancelot tried to run forward again, but Arthur leaned across Leon and seized his arm, giving him a warning look and a comforting squeeze at the same time.

“I will not kill my queen while she bears my son, and I will not wait for his birth.”

“Then please your Grace, grant me a fortnight with my brother. Do not take him from me suddenly as you did with my father.”

“I will grant you two nights.” Joffrey sneered

The queen stood up, helping her brother to his feet too. “May we have your leave, your grace?”

“Queen Sansa. I just wanted to let you know. Killing your king’s heirs is also an act of treason. And if you kill another of my sons, I will be forced to view you in the same way as your brother.”

“I understand, your grace.” she told him, her voice as dull as it had ever been.

Her brother gasped, and pressed a hand to her hip. She took it gently, and rested it on her barely rounded middle. Then she wrapped her other arm around him and they left the parlor, Boros Blount trailing behind.


	3. The Plot

Ser Loras was waiting for him with Merlin when he entered his room.

“The Queen is waiting for you in the godswood. She would like to speak with you.”

“Aye?” Arthur asked him “I’ll go. Fetch my blue cloak Merlin, and help me into something more discreet. I will meet you there, Ser.”

The queen sat on the forest floor, her brother’s head in her lap, and Ser Lancelot beside her, all sitting rested on Lancelot’s red cloak.

“Prince Arthur. Sit down, if it please you.” she smiled gently on him. Her brother sat up and turned so that his head faced roughly in Arthur’s direction.

“Aye, my queen?” he moved to sit in front of her, beckoning Merlin forward as well with two fingers

“You tried to offer me help and understanding before, but I rejected your aid. I can no longer sit and bide my time though. So, do you still wish to help me?”

Lancelot glared at him, but Arthur rolled his eyes “To be sure, your grace. In any way I can. What is it you want?”

Sansa quirked a lip for just a split second “Peace for me and my brother. Freedom from Joffrey and Kingslanding. If I was really dreaming I’d say my father’s lands back from our treacherous upjumped lords.”

“You are welcome to stay here of course, but we are a small kingdom. We cannot hope to stand against Kinglanding and their allies for long.”

“I know.” Sansa nodded “And our own list of allies grows short. Our lands have been seized and my uncle, Lord of the Riverlands, has been made a prisoner by our enemies. My aunt Lysa was Queen Regent for the Vale, but they say she is dead as well.”

“Your grace, I can secure my father’s men for you.” Loras offered “And there are those in the North who would still rise to see a Stark made Queen of Winter.”

“Perhaps there are, old friend, but your father will not risk his kingdom for a gamble. He still wishes to seat your sister on an ancient and respected throne, and I have none to offer him. Unless your sister wishes to be my queen.” she teased him.

“She would likely not say no, your grace.” Loras laughed.

Arthur turned back to the plan “Joffrey will not let his queen go while she carries his heir. He thinks far too much of himself.”

“I don’t actually.” Sansa murmured “Carry his heir, I mean. Tis his uncle the Kingslayer’s child.”

“What?” Loras alone did not cry out in shock.

“Sansa, this is no song of forbidden courtly love. Why would you risk such a thing?”

“I no longer think life is a song, Jon. But Joffrey would have killed me if I lost another babe, and the fault lies with him.” Sansa turned back to her Knight of Flowers “Go, ser, send your letter to your brother. We may as well try and gain some allies.”

“They will not reach us in two days.”

“Aye, tis true. We must have a place that Jon can be hidden, until we know that Joffrey will leave us be.”

“Sansa, no, I cannot let you or these men risk so much for me. And now that Joffrey is king, and Stannis is dead, I am a traitor in truth.”

“Hush Jon. You don’t have a choice. You will not die. That is an order from your rightful queen.”

Jon half smiled “Aye, your grace.”

She turned to Lancelot “And what of you, my noble knight?”

“Arthur has my loyalty. I will follow him in any endeavor.” Sansa nodded, her face going blank again.

Arthur heard Merlin shifting behind him in frustration at Lancelot. He hid a smile himself when he realized it. Merlin, however just said “If he can be snuck out in secret, Jon can stay with my mother, in Ealdor. He will be safe there, so long as no one follows us.”

“Thank you Merlin.” Sansa smiled at him, lightly “When is the soonest that anyone will be able to take him? We don’t have much time.”

“I could take him as soon as it’s dark.”

“No Arthur, you’ll be missed.” Merlin pointed out “Send some of your knights.”

“Prince Arthur, I would be happy to volunteer for this task.” Lancelot offered

“No, I want you here.” Arthur insisted “And besides, if there are any observant people in the royal party, they know that you have to patrol the woods on sixthday.” He thought back to his rotating schedule of duties, before coming to a conclusion.

“Gwaine would be happy to, I know. He likes you, my lady. And Elyan has no regular duties tomorrow.”

Lancelot nodded “I shall have them meet you in your chambers, sire.”


	4. The Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gwaine and Elyan do their part for the conspirators.

Arthur left with Merlin, heading not towards the castle, but farther into the woods, even as the sun started to truly fall beyond the horizon.

He stopped suddenly and turned to Merlin. “I always hated that man. But I wanted to believe better of him. For her sake.”

“We all did.” Merlin agreed quietly

“Aren’t you angry?” he asked him, not believing that even Merlin could keep calm and mild in the face of such cruelty “I know you weren’t there, but there’s no way you didn’t hear...”

“No, I heard all about it. From the death sentence to the death threat.”

“Well?” Arthur demanded

“I am angry, Arthur. I am very angry that such people are allowed to gain power, but I know you. I know your knights. I know Camelot. We will not fail. We will help Queen Sansa.”

Arthur nodded. He turned from Merlin and pounded his fist lightly against a tree. “Are we truly so weak?”

“Arthur?”

“Men. Are we truly so weak and fearful that we bend to the will of tyrants without a backwards glance?”

Merlin was silent for a time before responding. “Maybe some men. But you have never been that way Arthur. Nor have your knights. You have chosen good, strong men. Brave not just in battle, but in the way that they conduct their lives.”

“What good does that do me if I cannot help those I wish to call friend?”

Merlin placed a hand on his shoulder and dragged him around to face him “But you can, you stupid prat. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you.”

* * *

 

_Jon sits a horse better than Elyan_ , Gwaine grinned. Better than any of the knights, actually, except a few of the nobles.

His back was straight but not stiff and he gripped the horse with his knees. The horse’s lead was secured to Gwaine’s own, but he seemed to anticipate every turn and twist and bend with the horse. When they slowed and Elyan commented on it, Jon half laughed. “My father was a lord. And I was raised with my siblings, for all that I was just a bastard. I could ride before I could walk.”

The ride was mostly uneventful, except for having to dodge a few travelers. It was unlikely that they’ll be recognized, but Arthur didn’t have to tell them to take no unnecessary risks.

Ealdor was as quiet as Merlin promised it would be. Hunith greeted them pleasantly and welcomed Jon, readily agreeing to shelter him for as long as necessary. Arthur had warned them not to be gone very song, so their farewell was just as brief and no nonsense as the parting of siblings had been. The two of them had given quick embraces, and whispered, “Be safe” then Jon had been led from his sister’s chambers and down to the waiting horses, neither one of them crying or carrying on, or even looking back. Gwaine did glance back over his shoulder though, not as stoic as a Northman and not ashamed to admit it. Jon was standing next to Hunith as she watched them ride off, hand wrapped around her upper arm.

The ride back was much the same as the way there, indeed nothing seemed wrong until Camelot was almost in view, when they heard the warning bells ringing out frantically.

“That’s never good.” Gwaine groaned, spurring his horse on. Elyan imitated him, and they galloped through the lower town soon, barely slowing to avoid any fearful townsfolks, watching the castle in anticipation.

Gwaine rode straight through to the castle, but Elyan called out to the gate man as they passed through the tall walls to the citadel “What’s happened?”

“Fighting. In the throne room.” The two of them both vaulted off their horses and started sprinting down the hallways, swords drawn. Neither one wore any armor, because they had been trying to travel inconspicuously, blast it all. The halls were swamped with men in red cloaks, fighting each other, and it took Gwaine a moment to sort out which ones he could stab, though Elyan seemed to know instinctively. He did grow up in the shadow of the citadel though, so that probably explained it.

By the time they cut their way through the long corridor, fighting in the throneroom had come to a standstill, Arthur and his knights stood with Ser Loras, against the party from Kingslanding. Arthur’s knights outnumbered the others, but both sides seemed fearful to move.

Gwaine and Elyan joined Arthur and his knights as quietly as they could, and Gwaine found himself half frozen by the scene in front of them.

King Joffrey stood in front of them all, his long knife pressed to his wife’s neck “I assure you, this is no joke. Unless you give me what I want, I will slit the bitch’s throat right here.”

“What is it you want?” Arthur asks. He put down his sword carefully, and stepped forward towards the King and Sansa.

“I want my prisoner back.”

“We do not have your prisoner, your grace. We would be willing to lend you men to help you in the search, but we cannot give you what we do not have.”

Joffrey laughed “Do not lie to me, Prince Arthur. Trant, tell him what you saw.”

The king turned to his white cloaked knight, relaxing his hold on the queen as he did so, arms loosening almost completely as he turned, consumed by his triumph and self-righteous anger.

Sansa seized the moment and twisted from his grasp, taking the knife from his hand as she did so. She whirled to face him, holding the knife before her as she did so. Joffrey roared, and Arthur started running forward, but before he got halfway there, the boy king had lunged for his queen and impaled himself on his own knife.

“Oh.” Sansa’s cry was small, the only sound in the whole room.

All stood there for a few seconds, the king skewered on his own knife, the prince frozen in his approach, the whole court paralyzed as the queen paled. Her face hardened though, in that same moment, and she twisted the knife as harshly as she could. Gwaine saw her force it upwards, twist, then bring it back down. The king yelled then, and crumpled to the floor before her, pulling the knife out of his body as he did.

Only in that moment did it tip from her fingers and clatter to the floor. Arthur ran forward and pulled the Queen back to their knot of people, Loras right behind him.

The queen mother knelt beside her son, screaming and cursing angrily, and calling for Sansa’s head.

“Oh for...” Arthur rolled his eyes “Merlin, fetch Gaius. We’ll see what can be done for the king.”

“Yes Arthur.” Merlin agreed quickly, stealing away in a hurry. Loras held his Queen’s arm with one hand, and his sword with the other.

She barely registered him, regarding her own hands, just barely stained by the king’s blood.

Lancelot went to her side then “My queen?”

She held her hands out to him “It’s red.” she let out a shuddering laugh “Just like everyone else. He’s not special. There’s nothing in him that gave him the rights to...” she trailed off.

Her eye caught Gwaine’s and widened questioningly. He simply gave a curt nod and Sansa slumped against Lancelot in relief. Lancelot blushed bright red and Gwaine felt a laugh bubbling up inside him, fighting to get free. It would be so much more than inappropriate, considering the circumstances, and even though Gwaine prided himself on not caring what others thought, it wouldn’t do to make their party look more even more guilty.

Joffrey was gasping for breath by the time that Gaius arrives. It didn’t take the physician long to analyze the situation. “Punctured lung, and many other organs also injured. Your Grace, you need to calm yourself and slow your breathing.”

If anything, the king’s breathing sped up. Gaius sighed “Take him to the nearest chambers. Merlin, run back to my rooms and fetch a relaxant. Milk of the Poppy perhaps. He has doubtless had it before.”

Gaius turned to Queen Cersei as men at arms carry the King off. “If he can stay calm, and slows his breath, it is possible that the lung will mend itself before the air escaping it puts too much pressure on his other organs, but not likely. I could try to fix the lung, but it is unlikely that it will buy him much time, even if he lives through the surgery.”

The Queen slapped him across the face “You will save my son, and then together we will see that wolf-bitch gutted and raped and hung! She has poisoned my son’s guard against him and committed treason by raising steel against her king!”

Gaius stepped back from her, regarding her again “I will do my best to save your son, because of my oaths as a healer. I make no promises for anyone else in the castle complying to your wishes.”

Arthur stepped forward then, “Knights, take the Lannister men at arms to the dungeons where they will await trial for their blatant disregard of the host and guest laws. Take Queen Cersei and her knights and Lady Merryweather to their chambers and set a guard.”

Cersei screamed and raged and managed to punch Leon quite hard, breaking his nose. Her knights though, glanced at the sheer number of Arthur’s men, and trailed off after them with little more than mutterings and sideways looks.

Sansa laughed a little then. She clutched Lancelot’s arm harder and laughed harder, until she was sobbing and shaking. Lancelot looked even more useless than he had before, glancing around lost. “Hug her” Loras mimed, and mouthed and Lancelot complied, sinking to the ground with the queen.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this took so long to get out! I actually only have a few more chapters actually written, but I'll get up what I have pretty quick, and we'll see if I can write any more. I hope you like this chapter!

Joffrey expired that night, and Arthur sent a letter to the new king, Tommen Baratheon, first of his name, explaining the situation with signatures of the remaining kingsguard knights to validate his story, and offering to ransom his mother and his men to him.

The man called Kingslayer came to castle with the required gold less than a week later.

Jaime Lannister was taller than his nephew had been, and traveled with another tall man on the horse next to him. He dismounted a bit clumsily, and extended his left hand to Arthur, and Arthur noticed the missing right hand then, but he thought he kept face rather well.

“Well I brought you your gold. Ser Addam will lug it in.”

The tall armored man dismounted with a snort “Lazy ass.”

“I have one hand.” Jaime protested.

“You also have plenty of people who wouldn’t complain that you could have brought. You chose me.”

Jaime snorted as well. “Cheeky.”

Arthur found himself smiling in spite of himself “Come in Sers. Your royal sister will be brought to the council chambers.”

The clinking knights entered the council chambers after Arthur and his own knights.

Ser Addam made a huge production of hoisting the small chest onto the table with loud clanks, and flipped it open.

Arthur made a show of glancing it over. He didn’t actually care about the gold at all, but he couldn’t very well just let the queen and her men go after they had been in a skirmish in his throne room.

Sansa and Gwen walked past, arm in arm, heads together. Ser Loras as ever, trailed along lazily, until he spotted his Lord Commander. Flushing, he called gently.

“My Queen.”

She stopped, and the pair turned “Ser Loras?”

“I must go to face any justice that I have earned.”

Sansa glances inside the room and pales “No, no you can’t. Please Loras.”

“I bore arms against my liege and slew his men and my own sworn brother. I must go to whatever punishment awaits me, else I am both oathbreaker and outlaw.”

“Please. Ser Jaime.” her eyes are wide and pleading “Ser, he is my dearest friend.”

The blonde man strides over and cups the side of her face with his one hand “I swore I’d take you home, but I also swore things to the crown. You saved yourself from Joffrey, didn’t you, little wolf?”

She bites her lower lip, and glares up at him “How can I go home without my brave knight?”

“That I cannot tell you, your grace.”

She closes her eyes and looks away from him “I’m going to name my son Robb.”

“That is a good strong name.”

Sansa glared up at him, then smoothed out her expression and stepped back “Well, I must beg my leave, Lord Commander. Please send my regards to the king.”

She took Loras’ face gently in her hands, and angled it down just enough so she could kiss his brow. Then she tucked her arm back through Gwen’s and continued on her way.

Lannister’s hand fell back down to his side, and he gestured Loras inside the room with a jerk of his head.

The man nodded, and stepped in, handing Marbrand his sword. He bowed his head and leaned back against the wall.

It was rather tense as Queen Cersei and all her men were brought up for the exchange, and then all were led out to rest of the royal party and all mounted to leave.

Lannister nodded to him. “For what it’s worth, we won’t support anyone trying to keep the North away from Sansa. Or come after her brother.”

Arthur just nodded “Have safe travels.”

“Now where would be the fun in that?” he scoffs

 

* * *

 

Arthur sends Percival and Elyan to fetch Jon back, the moment that the Lannisters have left the capital, and when they all return, Sansa truly smiles.

The siblings sit together in the palace gardens, the morning of his return, under a flowering apple tree for hours on end, talking quietly. No one speaks of it, but one knight always watches them from afar, first Lancelot, then Leon, then Gwaine, then Percival, then Elyan. Finally as the sun begins to set, Arthur sends Elyan inside and approaches the pair himself.

“My lady, my lord...”

Jon laughs “I’m no lord. Not even a knight.”

“He’s not.” Sansa agreed “Just a Northman. And I’m not Queen or Lady of anything right now. Just a girl who lost her home and killed her husband.”

“You will be Queen though.” Arthur insists “You will reclaim your homeland.”

Sansa smiled a little at him, fondly “You’ve come to fetch us in, I think, Prince Arthur?”

“Aye, I have.”

She found her own feet before he could help her, and Jon stood right after. She looped her brother’s arm through hers, the same way Arthur had seen her walking with Gwen just yesterday. Then she offered Arthur her other arm and he took it with a smile.

They enter the palace, heading towards the dining hall, and Arthur sees a flash of curling hair turning the corner ahead. Sansa drops his arm, and pushes him ahead. He glances back at her, and Sansa laughs out loud “What are you still doing here? Go to her.”

So he does, smiling back at her.

 

* * *

 

 

Sansa woke up beside her brother the next morning and studied his face. It was still a handsome face, when one forgot the scars. He reminded her more of Uncle Benjen than Father, now that she looked at him properly, though she had never once seen Uncle Benjen clean shaven. He was shorter than Father, and lean like Uncle Benjen had been. Father had been taller and broader, like Robb.

Arthur had tried to give Jon his own room, trying tactfully to remark on the impropriety of Jon and Sansa rooming together, but Sansa had just laughed “I’m no maiden your grace, or have you forgotten? Jon is my brother, and he needs more help than he’ll accept from a stranger.”

It still hadn’t sat easily with their host, but he had eventually just nodded. The first morning they spent together after Joffrey’s death, she had washed and cut his dark hair, and shaved his face. Afterwards, he had looked more like the brother that she had grown up with.

The bed was larger than any that the Stark children had had at Winterfell, and she remembered spending nights curled up with Jon and Robb and Arya when they were all very young. Theon had even joined them on some nights, but then they had all been told that they were “growing up” and that their behavior was indecent.

As if her contemplation of him prompted some trigger in her brother, he stirred slowly, and called her name quietly and hesitantly “Sansa?”

“Aye, here I am.”

He stretched, and sat up, his shoulders set seriously “I had another wolf dream last night. Men in red attacked by men from the sea, at night. Many fell before they could flee, and there was a laughing man-crow. Do you think...?”

“I don’t know.” she snapped feeling irritable “I told you, I never had any wolf dreams.”

Jon nodded “I’m sorry, you’re right. I should have thought, and here I am, telling you all about them and...Gods, Old Lady, you’ve been through a time...”

She felt guilty then instead of justified.

“No, I should be apologizing Jon, it’s not like there’s anyone else you can talk to about these things. And your time hasn’t been kind either.”

Jon nodded stiffly “I must return to the Wall eventually, you know.”

Sansa shuddered “I know. I just wish that you could stay. You’ll stay until I know that you can travel safely though, won’t you?”

“Aye.” Jon nodded “I can stay that long. For you.”


End file.
